Relief-valve.



No. 887,033. PATBNTED MAY 5, 1908. J. L. DOHERTY.

RELIEF VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED 111:0 e 1907 a sums-41mm 1.

No. 887,033.' PATENTED MAY 5, 1908. J. L. DOHBRTY.

RELIEF VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC 6 1907 3 SHEETS SHEET 2.

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PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

J. L. DOHERTY. RELIEF VALVE. APPLICATION FILED DEO.6,1907.

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FFIQEQ .lOHN L. DOHERTY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

RE LIE F-VALVE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application filed December 6, 1907. Serial No. 405,330.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, JOHN L. DOHERTY, a citizen of the United States,residing in Den ver, Colorado, have invented certain Improvements inRelief-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a valve for relieving excessivepressure in the cylinders of a compound or simple engine or forpermitting entrance of air to such cylinder or cylinders in the event ofa formation of a vacuum therein, which valve shall be of such aconstruction as to contain and gradually supply oil for lubricating theengine cylinder or cylinders to which it is connected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relief valve of thegeneral character above noted with a novel device for so directing thesteam or hot water which escapes when the valve operates, that it shallnot be likply to injure persons in the vicinity of the va ve.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure1, is a vertical section of the preferred form of my improved reliefvalve, showing it as constructed for connection to the cylinders of acompound engine; Fig. 2, is a horizontal section on the line 2 2, Fig.1; Fig. 3, is a vertical section of a modified form of my invention,illustrating it as con structed for use in connection with the cylinderof a simple engine; Fig. 4, is a horizontalsection on the line 44, Fig.3, and Fig. 5, is a vertical section on the line 55, Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the above drawings, A represents the valvecasting, which in the case shown includes four tubular branches (1, a, aand a radiating 90 apart from the central part of the structure and allin the same plane. Below these branches the central portion of thecasting is 1 extended downwardly as indicated at A to form a cylinderwhich has a head or cover B. This latter is extended upwardly within thepart A and contains within it a piston O, Whose upper end is constructedto serve as a valve coacting with suitably formed seats in such manneras to close openings from the interior of the cylinder A to the severalbranches a, a, etc.

It will be seen that the upper or valve portion of the piston is ofgreater diameter than the lower part thereof, and when the passages intothe various branches are fully opened this upper part rests upon theupper edge of the inwardly projecting part of the cover B.

In the sides of the cylinder are a number of openings a designed topermit the escape of water or steam from said cylinder, and in orderthat such fluid may be prevented from injuring any one in the vicinityof the valve, I provide a shield D, in the present instance having theshape of a ring extending completely around the cylinder but spaced somedistance from the outside surface thereof, so that the fluid is directeddownward.

In order to prevent revolution of the piston C within its cylinder, Iprovide its lower face with a central recess 0 into which extends a pinb. This pin is threaded at its outer end and is held, preferably at thecenter of the head B, by a nut 6 A key or spline b is also provided forthis pin so that while the piston C is free to move up or downrelatively to the pin, it cannot turn.

A conduit 6 which under operating conditions is connected to the steamchest of the engine, leads into the lower portion of the cover B so asto deliver steam to the under side of the piston C.

It will be seen from Fig. 1, that the cavity 0 for the reception of thepin 1) is longer than the said pin, and has a passage 0 extending fromits upper portion through the piston to the lower face thereof. Inaddition said piston is provided with a tubular extension 0 projectingupwardly from its top or valve face into an oil chamber or containerformed by a cylindrical projection A from the top of the main casting.The upper end of this extension is counterbored for the reception of thebushing c in which is a restricted passage whereby a relatively smallflow of liquid is permitted from the container to the passage in theextension 0 and to the cavity 0. This oil container is provided with acap or cover a having through its top a seated passage for the receptionof a valve a. For normally holding the valve to its seat I counterborethe top edge of the cylindrical portion A and place therein a plate ahaving openings at for the passage of oil from the cap to the container.Between this plate and the valve a I place a helical spring a", mountingit upon the stem of the valve and extending said stem through the platea thereby.

Under operating conditions the various branches at, a, a and a of thecasing A are connected to the ends of the high and low pressurecylinders of a compound engine, and as soon as steam is admitted to theengine valve chest, it passes through the conduit 6 into the space underthe piston C Within the cover B.

Inasmuch as leakage past the piston C is prevented by suitable packingor piston rings as shown, said piston is moved upwardly so that thevalve formed by its upper end completely closes the openings from thevarious branches at, 0/, etc, into the cylinder A. If now, underoperating conditions, an excessive amount of water should be deliveredto or condensed. in the cylinders, the excessive pressure caused on thesucceeding stroke of the engine, acting upon the face of the valve,would force the piston C downwardly against the action of the steamunderneath it, thereby permitting the water to escape from the branchesof the valve casting through the cylinder A and the openings (1 in thesides thereof.

As above noted, the shield D serves to cause the water and steam to bedischarged in a generally downward direction and prevents damage orpersonal injury therefrom. Similarly, when steam is shut off from theengine and pressure falls in the cylinders, the piston C drops under theaction of gravity and establishes communication between the variousbranches at, a, etc, as well as permits the entrance of air to them.

When in use the container portion A of the casing is filled with oil orother lubricant which is slowly delivered through the small channel ofthe bushing c and the passage of the piston C to the recess 0 therein;from thence to the space under the piston within the cover B, andthrough the conduit to the valve chest of the engine, thereby assistingin the lubrication of the valve and pistons.

In filling the container portion A with oil, the valve a is depressed bythe nozzle of an oil can so that the oil flowing from it passes saidvalve and flows through the openings in the plate a into the container.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5, I have illustrated my invention as applied toanother form of relief valve, whose casing is provided with but twobranches a and c and which is primarily designed for use on simpleengines. This casing A has a downwardly projecting cylinder which, inthis case, contains only a valve C, whose upper face as before, coactswith suitably formed seats to close the openings between the branches aand a and said cylinder.

so that it is guided The cover of the cylinder in this instance consistsof a plate B havinga drain hole, there being a key 6 set in the side ofthe cylinder for preventing turning of the valve C, and held in positionby a screw 6. An extension c" from the valve C projects upwardly asbefore, but in this instance it is not tubular. It has, however,fastened to its upper end a piston C which operates within thecylindrical portion a of the casting, whose lower ortion is entered bythe conduit 7) from t 1e valve chest of the engine.

The cap E is screwed on the cylinder portion a and is designed to formwithin it a reservoir for oil above the piston C it being possible tointroduce the oil into this container through an opening e.

For closing said opening I provide a' metal plate e having a wing e andprovided with a series of notches of a size sufficient to receive thenozzle of an oil can. This plate is pivotally mounted upon a screw 6 andhas a spring a which serves to normally hold it in such position as toclose the opening 6. By turning it upon its pivot against the action ofsaid spring, either by hand or by pushing it by means of the nozzle ofan oil can placed in one of the notches, said opening may be uncoveredand oil may be introduced.

In order to permit of the passage of oil from the interior of the cap Eto the lower portion of the cylinder structure a*, I provide a passage 0through the piston C and place therein a valve 0 which is held closed aslong as there is steam pressure under said piston. As soon, however, asthis pressure is removed, the valve moves to its open position under theaction of gravity and permits oil to pass into the lower part of thecylinder structure a from whence it is free to flow to the valve chestof the engine.

The amount of possible opening of this valve, as well as the size of theopening through the bushing c, is such as to limit the oil flowingtherethrough to the amount necessary or advisable under the operatingconditions of the engine upon which the device is used.

As shown in Fig. 5, the water shield in this case is given the formindicated at D and is supported some distance from the body of thecasing by lugs a to which it is held by screws o In any case, however,it is so arranged as to direct steam or water from the valve in suchmanner that it flows harmlessly away.

I claim:

1. A relief valve consisting of a casing having a plurality of branchesconnected to the cylinder or cylinders of an engine and provided with acylindrical portion having openings into said branches, a valve in saidcylindrical portion capable of closing said openings, a piston connectedto said valve and operative in said casing, a connection for devalveconnected to the piston for closing said openings, an oil reservoirarranged to deliver oil through the piston, with a conduit connectingthe cylinder with the valve chest of an engine.

7 A relief valve consisting of a casing having branches for connectionto the cylinder of an engine and provided with a cylinder communicatingwith said branches, a piston in said cylinder having a portionconstructed to serve as a valve to cut off communication i between thesaid cylinder and the branches,

livering live steam to said piston to normally maintain the valve on itsseat, there being a discharge opening or openings in the sides of thecylindrical ortion of the casing and a shield separate rom the metal ofthe casing and extended to completely cover said opening or openings soas to direct downwardly all fluid escaping therefrom.

2. A relief valve consisting of a casing having a cylinder, a pluralityof branches communicating with said cylinder, a piston operative in thecylinder, a conduit for deliverin live steam to one face of the piston,a va ve capable of cutting off communication between the branches andthe cylinder, there being discharge openings in the side of the cylinderadjacent to the valve, and an annular shield extending around thecylinder in front of the openings in position to intercept waterescaping therefrom, lugs on the casing for supporting the shield awayfrom said casing, and means for holding the shield to said ugs.

3. A relief valve consisting of a casing provided with a plurality ofbranches and a cylinder having openings to the atmosphere and tosaid'branches, a valve capable of closing the openings into thebranches, a piston connected to the valve, a conduit for delivering livesteam to said piston to normally maintain the valve in position to closethe openings into the branches, an oil reservoir, with means fordelivering oil from said reservior to said conduit.

4. A relief valve consisting of a casing provided with a plurality ofbranches and a cylinder having openings to the atmosphere and to saidbranches, a valve capable of closing the openings into the branches, apiston connected to the valve, a conduit for delivering live steam. tosaid piston to normally maintain the valve in position to close theopenings into the branches, an oil reservoir, with means for deliveringoil from said reservoir to said conduit, and means for preventingrotation of the valve.

5. A relief valve consisting of a casing provided with a plurality ofbranches and a cylinder having openings to the atmosphere and to saidbranches, a valve capable of closing the said openings into thebranches, a piston connected to the valve, a conduit for delivering livesteam to said piston to normally maintain the valve in position to closethe openings into the branches, an oil reservoir, and means fordelivering oil from said reservoir to said conduit, said means includinga device for restricting the flow of oil to a predetermined extent.

6. A relief valve including a casing having a plurality of branches forconnection to the cy inder of an engine and provided with a cylinder,said branches having openings to the atmosphere, a piston in saidcylinder, a

an oil reservoir, and a conduit connected to the cylinder so as todeliver live steam to one face of the piston therein, said piston havinga passage in communication with the oil reservoir.

8. A relief valve consisting of a casing having branches for connectionto the cylinder of an engine and provided with a cylinder communicatingwith said branches, a piston in said cylinder having a portionconstructed to serve as a valve to cut off communication between thesaid cylinder and the branches, an oil reservoir, a conduit connected tothe cylinder so as to deliver live steam to one face of the pistontherein, there being a passage throughsaid piston in communication withthe oil reservoir, with a device in said passage for restricting theflow of oil from the reservoir.

9. A relief valve consisting of a casin having branches for connectionto the cylinder of an engine and provided with a cylinder communicatingwith said branches, a piston in said cylinder having a portionconstructed to serve as a valve to cut off communication between saidcylinder and the branches, an oil reservoir, a conduit connected to thecylinder so as to deliver live steam to one face of the piston therein,there being a passage throu h said piston in communication with the oilreservoir, and a valve-closed opening for said reservoir.

10. The combination in a relief valve of a casing having a plurality ofbranches, an oil reservoir, a cylinder communicating with said branchesand also with the atmosphere, a piston in said cylinder having its upperpart constructed to cut off communication between the branches, aconduit for live steam opening into the lower ortion of said cylinder,and an extension from the piston projecting into the oil reservoir.

11. The combination in a relief valve of a casing consisting of aplurality of branches, an oil reservoir, a cylinder communicating withsaid branches and also with the atmosphere, a piston in said cylinderhaving its upper part constructed to cut off communication of thebranches therewith, a conduit for live steam opening into the lower partof said cylinder, and a tubular extension from the piston prO ectinginto the oil reservoir,

with means for preventing rotation of the In testimony whereof, I havesigned my piston in its cylinder consisting of a pin enname to thisspecification, in the presence of tering a recess in said piston, saidrecess betwo subscribing Witnesses.

ing connected through the tubular extension JOHN L. DOHERTY. to the oilreservoir and also to the portion of Vitnesses: the cylindercommunicating with the steam C. L. WILBUR,

conduit. J. W. MCDOUGALL.

